Zigzag sewing machine



8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventors /-/e/'n r/c/77Fe eh fia usen O/fo Wank H. THEENHAUSEN E'I'AL ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINE Jan. 3, 1961 Filed June 13, 1955 & NNHL Q L kw R Jan. 3, 1961 H. THEENHAUSEN ET AL 2,966,868

ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINE 33 78 f4 8/ a? I6 m w D 10 65 107 .55

Of/o Wan/f 1961 H. THEENHAUSEN ETAL 2,966,868

ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 13, 1955 Jan. 3, 1961 H. THEENHAUSEN EIAL I 2,966,858 ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINE Filed June 13, 1955 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 I K r Inventors Heinrich 777enbause/2 O/fo Wank 1961 H. THEENHAUSEN ETAL 2,965,863

ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINE Filed June 13, 1955 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 1961 H. THEENHAUSEN ETAL 2,966,868

ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed June 13, 1955 s w m 9 wk Z ImW O, M# mO rv m H r 2,966,868 Patented Jan. 3, 1.961

ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINE Heinrich Theenhausen and Otto Wank, Bielefeld, Germany, assignors to Anker-Werke A.G., Bielfeld, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed June 13, 1955, Ser. No. 515,160 Claims priority, application Germany June 18, 1954 31 Claims. (Cl. 112158) Our invention relates to sewing machines that, aside from straight sewing, are applicable for various sidestitching work such as applique, darning, embroidering and other fancy pattern work. In such machines, usually called zigzag sewing machines, the needle b r, while reciprocating up and down, is laterally displaceable transverse to the feed direction of the materal being sewed, and the amplitude and location of the lateral needle-bar oscillations are controllable so as to set or vary the width and location of the lateral stitch area. This control of stitching width and area is effected either manually by the operator or by an exchangeable cam disc to be selected in accordance with a desired sewing pattern.

It has become known to mount the width and area controlling mechanisms in the top portion of an upwardly open machine housing at a place located above the horizontal main shaft of the machine, but the automatic control cam and its associated mechanism were mounted elsewhere and, generally, a group of individual mechanisms were needed at respectively different locations.

It is one of the objects of our invention to improve zigzag sewing machines toward greater facility in assembling and disassembling all zigzag-stitch controls and making them readily accessible and, if need be, exchangeable for inspection, repair or replacement in the event of trouble.

Another object of the invention is to improve zigzag sewing machines toward greater versatility and better adjustability of the automatic control means so that a greater variety of stitching pattern can be produced with the aid of any one selected control disc.

According to a feature of our invention,,we combine the manually adjustable stitching width and stitching area control means with the devices for controlling widthor area automatically by a selected control disc into a single, unitary subassembly in which all required mechanisms, including the manually adjustable setting means .as well as the selectively inserted control disc and the transmissions or couplings between setting means and control disc, are all mounted in juxtaposition to one another on a single base plate inserted into the open top portion of the machine housing. All these cooperative stitch control parts thus form a single unit which, as a whole, can readily be inserted into or removed from the machine and whose parts to be serviced for normal operationare easily accessible to the operator.

According to another feature of the invention, the

,selectively applicable control disc for automatic .operation is driven from the machine main shaft through. a transmission of controllable.transmission ratio so as to permit selecting or varying the number of stitches .produced by the machine per one revolution of the cam disc whereby each cam disc may serve to produce a variety of pattern modifications depending upon how many stitches are applied to each complete pattern cycle. A stitch-number control member, continuously adjustable mounted. The housing ber; and, according to another feature of our invention, the stitch-number control means are also mounted on the above-mentioned base plate to form part of a single control unit.

According to another feature of our invention, the control disc for automatic control of stitching width, stitching area and stitch number is driven through a freewheeling clutch.

According to still another feature of the invention, the control member for setting the stitch number is located outside of the machine housing and serves also'for stopping or disconnecting the drive mechanism that operates the controls for regulating the stitching width," the stitching area and the stitch number.

The foregoing and other objects, advantages and features of our invention will be apparent from the sewing machines according to the invention illustrated on 'the drawing in which Figs. 1 to 8 relate to a first embodiment, Figs. 11 to 15 to a second embodiment, and Figs. 9, 10, 16 and 17 relate toboth embodiments. In greater detail:'

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the knob for setting the stitching width.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the parts of the control apparatus housed within -the arm portion of the sewing machine housing, the section being in the vertical plane denoted by line II-II in Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 shows the same apparatus in a plan view.

Fig. 4 is a cross section according to the line IV-lV in Fig. 3 (or Fig. 12). i

Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line V-V in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line Vl--VI in Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a cross section along line VIIVII in Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a cross section along line VIII-VIII in" Fig. 3 (or Fig. 12).

Figs. 9 and 10 show examples of embroidering patterns.

Fig. 11 is a view, in vertical section, of the control ap paratus according to the second embodiment. 0

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the same apparatus.

Fig. 13 is a section along line XIIIXIII in Fig. 11.

Fig. 14 is a section along line XIV-XIV in Fig. 12."

Fig. 15 is a section along line XV-XV in Fig. 12.

Fig. 16 is a front view, seen from the operators place, of a machine according to Figs. 1 to -8. I

Fig. 17 is a schematic and explanatory diagram of a mechanism incorporated in each of the two embodiments; and I Fig. 18 is a detail of the trol device The same reference characters are applied in all illustrations to similar parts respectively.

The illustrated machines are suitable for straight sewing as Well as for decorative stitching such as desired for applique, darning or embroidery work. As far as the design and operation of the basic mechanisms for .producing straight and zigzag stitches, feeding the material and forming loop stitches are concerned, the machines/in principle, are similar to various known sewing machines. In particular, the controls for varying the widtli'and location of the zigzag stitches. involve known principles of operation as disclosed, fo'r instance, in the-German Patent 904,020. However, for'more readily understanding the invention, a brief description of the basic zigzag sewing operation will be helpful and will first be given before dealing with the improvements proper of thepresen't 'inventron. T

In accordance with the conventional design-of sewing machines, thoseillustrated and described herein h'ave a base B (Fig.16) on which a machine housin'g 55 'is 55 forms a hollow standard joined manual stitching area con- 2,968,868 I a I i with the base and has a horizontal hollow arm portion which, remote from the standard, merges with a dependent needle-bar housing located above, and upwardly spaced from, the sewing area on the top surface of the base.

The interior of the housing 55 comprises the needle-bar drive mechanism as well as most of the parts appertaimng to the control mechanism according to the invention. The

' open top of the housing is closed by a removable cover 115. The conventional presser foot C forms an exchangeable part of an assembly D which extends vertically upward into the housing where it comprises a vertical rod P shown in Fig. 17. As usual, the presser-foot assembly can be lifted and lowered. The vertically reciprocable fneedle bar N (Figs. 16, 17) carrying the sewing needle M extends parallel to the presser-foot assembly. Its operation for straight sewing is as usual and hence is not further described.

Aside from its vertical reciprocations, the needle bar N is also capable of lateral swinging movements as required for zigzag operation. These lateral movements occur about the axis of the presser-foot rod P in a horizontal direction substantially parallel to the plane of illustration of Fig. 16, and they are accompanied by a corresponding swinging movement of the presser foot. The needle bar N is vertically slidable in a bearing sleeve S (Fig. 17).

Sleeve S forms part of a swing frame F which is mounted on the presser-foot rod P and is rotatable together with rod P about the vertical axis of rod P. During straight sewing the swing frame F is stationary, but for zigzag work an oscillating motion is imparted to the frame F by means of a connecting rod R which extends through the horizontal arm portion of the machine housing 55 (Figs. 2, 17) to an assembly of control mechanisms mounted in the housing.

It will be recognized from Fig. 17 that the zig-zag stitching width in the directions of the double-headed arrow A corresponds to the amplitude of any oscillations transmitted by rod R to swing frame F, and that the stitching location or area is determined by the center or zero position of these oscillations. The stitch controlling oscillations come about and are controlled as follows.

During the machine operation, a continuously rotating cam 49 acts upon glide faces of a stitch control fork 48 with which the rod R is connected. The fork 48 has a pivot pin 47 on which a slide block 46 is'revolvable. The

slider 46is guided in' a groove (shown in broken lines) of a slide-way member 45. Member 45 is displaceable in two ways, namely angularly about its axis and also linearly. Assume first that the member 45 occupies the illustrated position in which its groove has the direction of the indicated axis O-O. When the cam 49 is rotating, the fork 48 and rod R will oscillate about the axis of the needle bar N while the slide block 46 will reciprocate along the groove of member 45. Hence no swinging motion is transmitted to the needle bar and the lateral stitching-width is zero.

Now assume that the member 45 is turned clockwise (in Fig. 17) so that the groove extends along the axis T-T, then during the oscillations of fork 48 a lateral component of motion is transmitted through rod R to the swing frame F so that the needle bar N will oscillate about the axis of presser-foot rod P with an amplitude dependent upon the amount of angular displacement of member 45 from the zero axis -0. In this manner, any desired amplitude and hence stitching width can be adjusted with- 12), and this plate can be shifted either manually by a control lever 62 (Fig. 16) or automatically by the cam disc 99 (Figs. 2 and 3), thus controlling the stitching area.

Turning now to the machine illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8, the stitch control apparatus embodying the essential features of the invention proper will now be described in detail.

The knob-shaped control member 1 (Fig. 1) for setting the stitching width is firmly joined with a pivot pin 2 journalled in a sleeve 3. Pivot pin 2 carries a crank 4. A screw 5 with a ball-shaped head 6 is screwed into the crank 4. The ball 6 is engaged by a socket 7 at one end of a linking rod 8. The other end of rod 8 has another socket 9 (Fig. 4) cooperating with a ball-shaped head 10 of a shoulder pin 11. Pin 11 is riveted into an arm 12 which has a pivot sleeve 13 journalled on a shaft 14 (Figs. 4, 2, 3). Shaft 14 is revolvable in a sleeve 15 (Figs. 4, 3) firmly joined with a base plate 16.

The base plate 16 is inserted into the open top portion of the machine housing 55 and is removably secured thereto by screws 16b, 16c, 16d (Fig. 3). The base plate 16 forms a common carrier for the entire manually and automatically adjustable zigzag-stitch control means as well as for the mechanisms that are eflective to perform the automatic controls.

A lever 17 (Figs. 4, 2) is firmly connected with the shaft 14 and carries a pawl 18 (Fig. 4) pivoted about a pin 19. The pawl 18 has two projections 20, 21. Projection 20-is engageable with an opening 22 of the arm 12 (Figs. 4, 2). 7 Projection 21 can enter into an opening 23 of a lever'24 (Figs. 4, 3). The lever 24 is firmly connected with a sleeve 25 revolvably mounted on the sleeve 15. The pawl 18 has another projection 26. By swinging movement of the arm 27 (Fig. 4) of an angular lever 28 (Figs. 2, 3), the projection 21 or 20 of pawl 18 (Fig. 4) is placed into or out of engagement with the opening 22 or 23 due to the arm 27 abutting against the projection 26 or 20. As mentioned, the lever 28 permits setting the machine either for manual or for automatic operation of the stitching width and stitching area control members. Lever 28 is firmly joined with a sleeve 29 (Fig. 2) which by means of a pivot screw 30 is rotatably mounted on the supporting plate 16 (Figs. 2, 3).

When the projection 20 of pawl 18 (Fig. 4) engages the hole of arm 12, the shaft 14 is actuated by the lever 17. Firmly connected with shaft 14 is a lever 31 which has a pin 32 straddled by a fork 33 (Figs. 4, 3). The fork 33 is integral with a slider 34 (Fig. 3) which is displaceable in a guide 35 formed by the slider 36. The slider 36 is displaceably mounted on the base plate 16, and the two bifurcated portions 37, 38 of slider 36 straddle each a guiding bolt 39 or 40. The bifurcated portion 41 of an arm 42 cooperates with a pin 43 secured to the slider 34. The forked arm 42 is firmly joined with a pivot pin 44 of the above-mentioned slide-way member 45 (Fig. 2). Member 45 is guided in the slider 36. A slide block 46 mounted on a pin 47 is guided in the slidewayrof member 45. The pin 47 is firmly secured to the stitch control fork 48. The fork of member 48 straddles a cam 49 joined or integral with a bevel gear 50 meshing with another bevel gear 51. Gear 51 is mounted on themain shaft 52 traversing the horizontal arm of the sewing machine. The bevel gear 50 is rotatably mounted on a pivot shaft 53 of a bearing block 55' integral with the housing structure 55 of the machine arm. During sewing operation, that is when the main shaft 52 is continuously revolving, the bevel gears 51 48. This motion, as explained with reference to Fig. 17, causes the needle bar to perform the lateral deflections needed for zigzag stitching, the amplitude or stitching width and the stitching area being dependent upon the rotary setting of slide-way member 45 and upon the position of its displaceable axis respectively.

The slider 36 is provided with a pivot pin 56 (Fig. 2) co-acting with the forked portion 57 of an angular lever 58 (Figs. 2, 3). The bearing pin 44 of the slide-way member 45 is journalled in a central bore of the pivot pin 56 (Fig. 2). The angular lever 58 has an arm 59 which forms the manually operable control member for setting the desired stitching area. When arm 59 is being displaced, its movement is transmitted by the fork 57 of lever 58 to the pin 56 of slider 36 so that the slider 36 is shifted accordingly. Thus the slide-way member 45, joined with pin 56 and slider 36, is correspondingly displaced so that the location of the pivot pin 47 of the stitch control fork 48 is also displaced and changes the stitching area of the needle bar as explained above with reference to Fig. 17.

The area control lever 58 is firmly joined with a sleeve 60 (Fig. 5) revolvably mounted on another sleeve 61. Sleeve 61 is firmly connected with the supporting plate 16. A slider 62 (Figs. 5, 3), designed as a knob, is dis placeably mounted on the arm 59. Slider 62 carries a nose 63 engageable with a recess 64 of a plate 65. The plate 65 is secured by screws to a stop plate 66 (Fig. 3). The stop plate 66 is secured to the supporting plate 16 by means of two screws 67, and the slider 62 (Figs. 3, 5) carries a coupling pin 68 engageable with a recess 69 in a lever 70. Lever 70 is firmly connected with a shaft 71 revolvably journalled in a bearing sleeve 61. By displacing the slider. knob 62, the nose 63 can be latched with the stop plate 66, or the pin 68 can be coupled with the lever 71) depending upon the selected position of the slider knob 62.

Another cam 72 (Figs. 2, 6) is firmly secured by screws to the bevel gear 50 and cooperates with the arm 73 of a bifurcated lever 74. Lever 74 is biased toward cam 72 by a spring 75 (Fig. 6) and carries a sleeve 76 revolvably mounted on a pin 77. Pin 77 is eccentrically mounted on a shoulder member 78 (Figs. 6, 2) carrying a pivot pin 79. Pivot pin '79 is mounted on the supporting plate 16 (Fig. 2) and is firmly joined by a screw 81 with a manually actuable control member 81 (Figs. 2, 3). A dragging spring 8'2. is disposed between the supporting plate 16 and the manual control member 88. The range of rotation of manual control member 80 is limited by two stop screws 83 (Fig. 3). A scale is provided on the supporting plate 16 for indicating the number of stitches to which the manual control member 80 is set.

The fork of arm 74 straddles a roller 84 (Figs. 2, 6) journalled on a pin 85 which is riveted to a plate 86 (Fig. 2). Plate 86 is connected by screws with a clutch star 87 rotatably mounted on the bearing pin 88 of a clutch member 89. The star 8'7 is fastened by means of a bolt 91 screwed into the clutch member 89. The connection between clutch member 89 and star 87 is effected through rollers so that the clutch operates in accordance with the conventional roller-type friction clutches. The clutch member 89 has another pin 92 rotatably mounted in a bearing sleeve 93 having a flange 94 secured by screws to the supporting plate 16. The flange 94 is designed as a clutch star similar to the star 87 and is also provided with roller 95 which, like the above-described roller clutch, also cooperates with the clutch member 89. The parts 89, 94 and 95 operate to prevent reverse rotation of the coupling member 89.

The pin 96 of coupling member 89 carries afastening ring '97 (Figs. 2, 3) provided with an entrainer pin 98 (Fig. 2) for entraining a cam disc 99. Cam disc 99 (Figs. 2, 3, 7) has a cam groove 100 to cooperate with a follower pin 101 riveted to a swing arm 102 which is pivotally mounted at 103. The swing end of swing arm 102 is linked to a rod 164 whose other end is linked tot-he lever 24 (Fig. 3). Another linking rod 1415 (Figs. 3, 7-) is likewise articulately joined with theswing arm 102 at 106. The other end of linking rod 185' is connected with the lever 78 (Fig. 3).

To permit placing the automatic device for controlling stitching width and stitching area completely out of operation, a manually operable knob 107 (Figs. 3, 6, 8) is pivoted on a bolt 108 riveted to the supporting plate 16. The lever of knob 107 has a projection 169 which has a slanting face 111} engageable with the bifurcated arm 74. By displacing the manual control member 107 clockwise in Fig. 6, the arm 73 of lever 74 is moved out of the range of engagement with the cam 72, thus disconnectin the driving mechanism of the control device.

The operation of the above-described device is as follows:

As mentioned, the control member 1 serves for manually setting the desired stitching width, andthe control member 59 serves for manually selecting the stitching area, whereas the automatic control of stitching area or stitching width is effected with the aid of the exchangeable and properly selected cam 99 (-Figs. 2, 3, 7) acting upon the above-mentioned control devices through the swing arm 102 and the two links 104 and respectively.

For manual control of stitching width the lever 28 (Figs. 3, 16) is to be setto manual position. Arm 27 of lever 28 then causes the pawl 18 to connect lever 17 with arm 12 (Fig. 4) and hence through linking rod '8 (Fig. 1) with knob 1. Consequently when knob 1 (Fig. 1) is being turned, its rotary movement is transmitted through rod 8 to levers 12 and 17 (Fig. 4). The rotary movement of lever 17 is imparted to shaft 14 (Figs. 4, 3) and lever 31 (Fig. 3) which acts through parts 32-to 35 and 41 to 44 to rotate the slideway member 45 (Figs. 2, 17). As explained above with reference to Fig. '17, such rotary displacement of slide-way member 45 has the effect of changing the stitching width. 7 I

For automatic control of stitching width the lever 28 (Figs. 3, 16) is to be set to automatic position. With this setting the pawl 18 (Fig. 4) connects the lever 17 with the lever 24, and no connection exists between lever -17 and knob 1 so that no manual width control is effective. Now, however, any pivotal movements of lever 24 are transmitted to the slideway member 45 by the same mechanism that, as described above, is effectiveduring manual control. Such pivotal movements are transmitted to lever 24 through the linking rod 104 (Fig. 3) from the control cam 99 (Figs. 2, 3, 7) so that the embroidery pattern embodied by the particular shape of the cam groove is transferred to the swinging needle bar and thus upon the material being sewed.

For manual selection or variation of the stitching area, the control .knob 62 on lever 59 '(FigsQ 1, 5) is to be placed into pulled-out position so that the pin 68 (Fig. 5

is out of engagement with the recess 69 of lever 70. Then the knob 62 and lever 59 can be manually shifted by the operator to any desired position and is latched in the selected position by engagement of nose 63. with a notch of the stop plate 62. The selected position of lever 59 determines the stitching area as explained.

For automatic control of the stitching area the control knob 62 on arm 59 is to be placed into the position shown in Fig. 5. Then the pin 68 couples the lever 7t) with the manual control lever 59. Since the linking rod 105 is connected with the lever 71 and, as described, is controlled by the cam disc 99, an automatic displacement .of the slider .36 will now occur, thus shifting the slide-way member 45 to cause displacement of the needle bar'in accord ance with the selected stitching area.

As mentioned, the manual control member 80 (Figs. 2,

3) permits selecting the number of stitches to be made for the motif of a desired embroidery pattern, the selected stitch number being indicated on a scale. Turning-the manual control member 80 causes the eccentric meqhg .a gear sector 112 'ber' 80"(Figs. 12 to 15). The manual control member assesses nism 77, 78 to displace the pivot point of the lever arm 74 (Fig. 6). This displacement varies the active leverage of the forked arm 74 with the effect of changing the number of stitches. That is, when the cam disc 72 is being driven, the arm 74 is swung clock wise and, acting through the clutch star 87 and the clutch member 89, causes the cam disc 99 to rotate incrementally; and each step of rotation depends upon the leverage of arm 74 so that the number of revolutions of the machine main shaft occurring during one full rotation of cam disc 99, and hence the number of stitches produced, will vary with any variation in leverage. In this manner the change in transmission ratio thus effected in the drive of cam disc 99 permits compressing (Fig. 9) or elongating (Fig. the sewing pattern otherwise determine-d by the selected cam disc 99 so that a variety of thus modified patterns can be produced with any one cam disc.

A stepless or infinite variation of the stitching width and stitching area within a specified range is effected by the manual control means 80 (Figures 3 and 12) with the aid of which the pin 77 (Figures 2 and 6) eccentrically mounted relative to disc 78 and serving as pivot fulcrum of the fork lever 74, can be displaced, thus displacing the rocking fork lever 74, which oscillates about pin 77 by following the eccentric 72. The adjustment of manual control means 80 can take place anywhere within the full range of an indicating scale (40 to 106), according to the dash-dot line of Figure 3, when the machine is either at a standstill or in operation. The extent of the oscillatory movements which the fork arm 74 (Figure 6) derives from the eccentric 72 depends upon the distance between the pivot point 77 of the fork arm 74 from the rotational center 53 of the eccentric 72. This distance is steplessly, continuously, and infinitely variable by setting control means 80. When this distance is at its minimum,

a maximum deflection of fork arm 74 is obtained. With a greater distance, the minimum deflection of fork arm 74, or any intermediate amount of deflection, is obtained. The fork arm 74, by oscillating, drives the stepping mechanism (84, 87, 88 to 94). Consequently, a stepless or continuous regulation and control of the rotating speed of the pin 96, and of the cam 99 connected therewith, are achieved, and this variable speed depends upon the particular position of the infinitely adjustable manual control means 80 along its scale. The control cam 99 acts through the lever 162 and the link 194 or 105 to automatically control the stitching width and the stitching-area position, respectively. By thus varying the driving speed of control cam 99, it is possible to continuously, steplessly and infinitely vary, throughout the entire control range of member 80, the control pulses which issue from control cam 99, and which serve for the control of the stitching width and the stitching area position.

The patterns of Figs. 9 and 10 are produced with a selected fixed setting of the stitching width control knob 1 and a varying setting of the area control means under control by cam disc 99. Pattern 9 is made with manual control member 80 set to a smaller number of stitches per disc rotation than for the pattern of Fig. 10.

By turning the manual stop control member 107 clockwise (relative to Figs. 3 and 6) the entire driving mechanism for the automatic control of stitching width, stitching area and stitch number is put out of action.

The machine illustrated in Figs. 11 to 15 is largely similar to the machine of Figs. 1 to 8 and therefore will be described mainly with reference to its departures from the embodiment already presented.

In the machine of Figs. 11 to 15, the bifurcated arm 74 carries a sleeve 76 rotatably mounted on a pivot pin 77 Pivot pin 77' is eccentrically mounted on a flange member 78' which has a pivot pin 79. Pin 79' is journalled in the common base plate 16. A gear sector 111 (Figs. 1 l, 12) is firmly joined to pivot pin 79'. Sector 111' meshes with integral with a manual control memwith sector 112' is rotatably mounted on the base plate 16' by means of a pivot bolt 113'. A dragging spring 82 is disposed between base plate 16 and gear sector 111'. The range of rotation of the manual control member 80' is limited by a slot 114' in the arm portion of the housing structure 55. Control member 80 cooperates with an indicating scale with which the cover 115' (Fig. 15) is provided.

The fork of lever 74' straddles a roller 84' (Figs. 11, l4), rotatably mounted on a bearing pin 85 which is riveted to a plate 86'. The plate 86' is firmly secured by screws to a clutch star 87 which is rotatable on the pivot pin 88' of the clutch member 89'. The clutch star 87' is held in position by a bolt 9% screwed into the clutch member 89'. The motion-transmitting connection between clutch member 89' and star 87 is effected by rollers 91 in the same manner as described with reference to the preceding embodiment. Clutch member 89 has another pivot pin 92 rotatable in a sleeve 93' which has a shoulder portion 94' fastened to the supporting plate 16' by means of screws. The shoulder portion 94', similar to the clutch star 87, is also designed as a star member which coacts through rollers 95 with the clutch member 89. As in the embodiment previously described, the parts 89', 94' and 95' operate as a detent mechanism to prevent reverse rotation of the clutch member 89.

Another pin 96 (Fig. 11) of coupling member 89' carries a fastening ring 97' with a dog pin 93 for entraining the cam disc 99'. Cam disc 99' (Fig. 12) has a cam groove 100 engaged by a follower pin 101' riveted to a double-armed lever 102', 116 pivoted at 193'. Linked to arm 116' of the lever is a linking rod 104' whose other end is connected with the lever 24. Another linking rod 105 is likewise pivotally connected with the arm 116' at 106. The other end of rod 105' is connected with the lever 70'.

The control member 8%) serves two purposes, namely to control the stitch number per rotation of the cam disc, and also to put the automatic control in and out of operation. When manual control member 89' is being dis placed along the left-hand portion (Fig. 12) of its range, the gear sectors 112, 111' impart rotary movement to pin 79' and flange member 78' thus displacing the eccentric pivot pin 77 (Fig. 13) of lever 74'. By thus placing the pivot pin 77' closer to, or away from, the shaft axis of cam 72, the leverage and transmission ratio are changed with the result of varying the number of stitches as explained with reference to the embodiment first prescnted.

For completely stopping the operation of the device for automatically controlling stitching width and stitching area, the manual control member 80 is moved to its extreme right-hand position relative to Fig. 12. The entire driving mechanism is switched off in this manner. By movement of the gear sector 112', the gear sector 111' is turned clockwise (Fig. 12) and the shoulder member 73 is turned together with sector 111 so that the dog pin 117' of member 78' can act upon a pin 118 of the forked lever 74' (Figs. 12, 13). Turning the forked lever 74' clockwise causes the lever arm 73' to be lifted off the cam 72'. This places arm 73 of lever 74' out of engagement with the eccentric 72.

Upon study of this disclosure it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that our invention permits of various modifications and can be embodied in designs of machines other than those specifically illustrated and described herein, without departing from the essential features of our invention as set forth in the claims annexed hereto.

We claim:

1. A zigzag sewing machine, comprising a housing having an opening at the top, a main shaft horizontally disposed in said housing, an axially reciprocable needle bar horizontally oscillatable for producing lateral stitches, variable speedra'tio motion-translating transmis- 9 sion apparatus between said shaft and said needle bar for translating revolution of said shaft into lateral oscillation of said needle bar, automatic control means including cam means and cam follower means disengageably linked to said transmission apparatus for automatically controlling the stitching width and stitching area according to a desired pattern, oscillating drive means for incrementally driving said cam means to issue control pulses from the latter to said transmission apparatus, an oscillation amplitude control mechanism for infinitely regulating throughout a predetermined range the oscillation amplitude of said drive means so as to steplessly vary the stitching width at standstill and during reciprocation of said needle bar, said amplitude control mechanism having movable pivot means about which said drive means is pivotable to perform its oscillations, an oscillation displacing mechanism operably connected with said pivot means for shifting same so as to infinitely vary the magnitude and frequency of said control pulses within said predetermined range so as to steplessly control the stitching area, and separate manual control means respectively connected with said transmission apparatus for steplessly varying the stitching width and stitching area at standstill and during reciprocation of said needle bar.

-2. A zigzag sewing machine, comprising a housing having an upwardly open arm portion, a main shaft horizontally disposed in said arm portion, an axially reciprocable needle bar laterally oscillatable for producing lateral stitches, controllable motion-translating transmission apparatus between said shaft and said needle bar for translating revolution of said shaft into lateral oscillation of said needle bar, automatic control means including cam means and cam follower means disengageably linked to said transmission apparatus for automatically controlling the stitching width and stitching area according to a desired pattern, oscillating drive means for incrementally driving said cam means to issue control pulses from the latter to said transmission apparatus, an oscillation amplitude control mechanism for infinitely regulating throughout a predetermined range the oscillation amplitude of said drive means so as to steplessly vary the stitching width at standstill and during reciprocation of said needle bar, said amplitude control mechanism having movable pivot means about which said drive means is pivotable to perform its oscillations, an oscillation displacing mechanism operably connected with said pivot means for shifting same so as to infinitely vary the magnitude and frequency of said control pulses within said predetermined range to thereby steplessly shift the stitching area, manual control means connected with said respective mechanisms for setting said mechanisms, a base structure mounted in the open top part of said arm portion of said housing above said main shaft, said apparatus including said width and area control mechanisms being mounted on said base structure, said automatic control means including said cam means and cam follower means being also mounted on said base structure, said cam means being located on top of said structure and assessible through the open top of said arm portion, said oscillating drive means being mounted on said base structure and connected with said cam means for rotating the latter, said drive means having a gear member rotatably joined with and located beneath said base structure, and said main shaft having gear means normally in driving engagement with but separable from said gear member, whereby said base structure and apparatus and automatic control means form together a unit separable and removable as a whole from the housing and from said shaft and gear means through the upper opening of the housing.

3. A zigzag sewing machine, comprising a housing, a main shaft horizontally dis osed in said housing and having gear means, an axially reciprocable needle bar laterally oscillatable for producing lateral stitches, a base structure mounted on said housing, a motion-translating apparatus having a gear member rotatably connectedwitli said base structure and engageable with said gear means said needle bar for imparting horizontal oscillations thereto, control means connected to said oscillating member for issuing control pulses to said translating apparatus, an oscillation amplitude control mechanism for infinitely regulating through a predetermined range the oscillation amplitude of said oscillatory member so as to steplessly vary the stitching width at standstill and during reciprocation of said needle bar, said amplitude control mechanism having movable pivot means about which said oscillatory member is pivotable to perform its oscillations, an oscillation displacing mechanism operably connected with said pivot means for shifting same so as to infinitely vary the magnitude and frequency of said control pulses within said predetermined range, said two mechanisms being mounted on said base structure and connected with said translating apparatus, said control means comprising a rotatable control device having a selectively exchangeable cam disc rotatably mounted on said base structure and having cam follower means cooperative with said cam disc and linked to at least one of said mechanisms for automatically controlling said mechanism, said oscillatory member and said mechanism forming a transmission of adjustable transmission ratio mounted on said base structure and disposed between said control device and said gear member for rotating said cam disc, and second control means connected with said transmission for varying said ratio to thereby control the number of stitches per rotation of" said disc.

4. A zigzag sewing machine, comprising a main shaft, an axially reciprocable needle bar capable of lateral oscillations for producing lateral stitches, motion-translating apparatus between said shaft and said needle bar' for imparting said oscillations to said bar, said apparatus carrying a slide member pivoted thereon, and a rotatable member having a slotted face,

transmission ratio thereof over a predetermined range so as to steplessly vary the stitching width at standstill and during reciprocation of said needle bar, and manually operative means connectible between said control means and automatic control device to couple and decouple the automatic control device from said control means during the continued operation of the machine and to manually operate the control means when the automatic control device is de-coupled.

5. A sewing machine according to claim 1, the varia-- ble-ratio transmission being mounted on said base structure and being operatively connected with said cam means for rotating said cam means in dependence upon revolution of said main shaft, and adjustable stitch-number control means mounted on said base structure and connected with said transmission for varying the transmission ratio thereof.

6. In a sewing machine according to claim 1, said drive means being engageable with the cam means of said automatic control means for rotating said cam the slide member fitting: into the slot thereof, control means connected with the: rotatable member of said translating apparatus for shift-- ing and rotating said member to vary said oscillations.- and to thereby control said lateral stitches, an automaticcontrol device having a rotatable cam disc and havingcam follower means linked with said control means for' automatically operating said control means, a variable-- speed ratio transmission between said main shaft and said automatic control, device for rotating said cam disc, and selectively displaceable stitch-number control meansincluding an oscillation amplitude control mechanism and. an oscillation displacing mechanism both operably con-- nected with said transmission for infinitely varying the:

means in dependence upon revolution of said main shaft, stitch-number control means in connection with said cam means so as to operate in dependence upon rotation of said cam means, and manually operable stop control means engageable with said drive means for placing it in and out of operation, whereby said stop control means permits stopping said cam means to place both said oscillation amplitude control mechanism for controlling the stitching width and said oscillation displacing mechanism for controlling the stitching area together with said stitch-number control means in inactive condition.

7. A sewing machine according to claim 1, comprising manually operable setting means mounted on said base structure and selectively connecting said mechanisms with said manual control means and said automatic control means respectively for controlling said needle-bar oscillation by one of said respective manual and automatic control means depending upon the position of said setting means and permitting coupling and de-coupling of the automatic control means during the continued operation of the machine.

8. A zigzag sewing machine, comprising a main shaft, an axially reciprocable needle bar capable of lateral oscillations for producing lateral stitches, motion-translating apparatus between said shaft and said needle bar for imparting said oscillations to said bar, said apparatus comprising a reciprocable rod operably linked to said bar to produce the lateral oscillations therein, said rod carrying a slide member pivoted thereon, and a rotatable member having a slotted face, the slide member fitting into the slot thereof, control means connected with the rotatable member of said translating means for shifting and rotating said member to vary said oscillations and to thereby control said lateral stitches, an automatic control device having a rotatable cam disc and having cam follower means linked with said control means for automatically operating said control means, a rotating cam geared with said shaft, a lever having a pivot and being engaged by said latter cam to oscillate about said pivot during rotation of said cam, a unidirectional-motion mechanism connected with sm'd cam disc and engageable by said lever to translate oscillation of said lever into progressive rotation of said disc, said pivot being dis- ;placeable relative to its spacing from said cam so as to vary the leverage of said lever between said cam and said mechanism, and pivot control means connected with said pivot for displacing it to a position corresponding to a desired number of lateral stitches per full rotation of said disc.

9. in a sewing machine according to claim 8, said pivot control means comprising a part manually rotatable about a central axis parallel to the axis of said rotating cam, said pivot being eccentrically mounted on said part, and said part and pivot being located between said rotating cam and said unidirectional-motion mechanism, whereby the manual setting of the rotary position of said part determines said number of stitches.

10. In a sewing machine according to claim 8, said rotating cam having a plurality of cam lobes uniformly spaced from each other, and said lever having an arm engaging said cam, and a spring biasing said arm against said cam.

11. A zigzag sewing machine, comprising a main shaft, an axially reciprocable needle bar capable of lateral oscillations for producing lateral stitches, motion-translating means between said shaft and said needle bar for imparting said oscillations to said bar, control means connected with said translating means for steplessly varying said oscillations to thereby control said lateral stitches, an automatic control device having a rotatable cam disc and having cam follower means linked withsaid control means for automatically operating said control means, and manually operative means connectible between said control means and automatic control device to couple and de-couple the automatic control device from said control means during the continued operation of the machine and to manually operate the control means when the automatic control device is de-coupled, a free-wheeling clutch coupling having an output member connected with said cam disc and having an input member, a reciprocating drive mechanism connected with said input member, and means connecting said drive mechanism with said main shaft.

12. A sewing machine according to claim 11, coniprising another free-wheeling coupling having a pair of coactive coupling members coaxially mounted with respect to said input and output members, one of said members of said pair being fixed and said other member of said pair being joined with said output member and beingrotatable only in the direction of rotation of said output member whereby reverse rotation of said cam disc is prevented.

13. In a sewing machine according to claim 1, said motion-translating apparatus including said amplitude control mechanism and said displacing mechanism for respective stitching width and area control having a driving device in common with said automatic control means, said driving device comprising a driving gear means mounted on said main shaft and a driven gear rotatably mounted by said housing, and motion transferring means connecting said driven gear with said motion-translating apparatus and with said automatic control means.

14. A sewing machine according to claim 1, comprising a device for controlling the number of stitches, said device being mounted on said base structure, and said motion-translating apparatus and said automatic control device and said stitch-number control device having a single drive in common, said drive comprising a driving gear on said main shaft and a driven gear rotatably connected with said base structure.

15. A sewing machine according to claim 1, said drive means comprising a motion-transmitting device for operating said displacing mechanism for shifting the stitching area, and a manual clutching device selectively displaceable' between two positions, said clutching device connecting said motion transmitting device with said manual area control means when in one of said positions, and connecting said motion transmitting device with said automatic control means when in said otherposition and permitting coupling and de-coupling of the automatic control means during the continued operation of the machine.

16. A zigzag sewing machine, comprising a housing having an opening at the top, a main shaft horizontally disposed in said housing, an axially reciprocable needle bar horizontally oscillatable for producing lateral stitches, speed ratio variable motion-translating transmission ap paratus between said shaft and said needle bar for translating revolution of said shaft into lateral oscillation of said needle bar, said apparatus having an oscillation amplitude control mechanism for steplessly varying the stitching width and having an oscillation displacing mechanism for steplessly shifting the stitching area, separate manual control means connected with said respective mechanisms to set the stitching width and to select the stitching area, automatic control means having a cam disc and cam follower means operatively connecting said cam disc with each of said mechanisms, a base structure mounted in the open top portion of said housing above said main shaft, said motion-translating apparatus includ ing said width and area control mechanisms being mounted on said base structure and being insertable and removable therewith through the top opening of the housing, and said automatic control means including said cam disc and cam follower means being also mounted on said base structure, said manual control means for setting said stitching area control mechanism comprising a lever having an arm angularly displaceable by the operator to a position corresponding to the desired area, a fixed structure extending along the path of displace 13 ment of said arm, said arm being resiliently movable toward and away from said fixed structure, stop means disposed on said arm and engageable with said fixed structure for securing said arm in a selected position, a slide knob displaceable along said arm between two positions, said stop means being joined with said knob so as to be active only when said knob is in one of said positions, and coupling means connected and displaceable together with said knob, said automatic control means having a part movable conjointly with said area control mechanism and engaged by said coupling means only when said knob is in said other position, whereby said arm participates in automatically controlled movements of said area control mechanism when said knob is in said other position wherein said stop means is disengaged from said fixed structure.

17. A zigzag sewing machine, comprising a housing having an opening at the top, a main shaft horizontally disposed in said housing, an axially reciprocable needle bar horizontally oscillatable for producing lateral stitches, speed ratio variable motion-translating transmission apparatus between said shaft and said needle bar for translating revolution of said shaft into lateral oscillation of said needle bar, said apparatus having an oscillation amplitude control mechanism for steplessly varying the stitching width and having an oscillation displacing mechanism for steplessly shifting the stitching area, separate manual control means connected with said respective mechanisms to set the stitching width and to select the stitching area, automatic control means having a cam disc and cam follower means operatively connecting said cam disc with each of said mechanisms, a base structure mounted in the open top portion of said housing above said main shaft, said motion-translating apparatus including said width and area control mechanisms being mounted on said base structure and being insertable and removable therewith through the top opening of the housing, and said automatic control means including said cam disc and cam follower means being also mounted on said base structure, drive means engageable with said automatic control means for rotating said cam disc in dependence upon revolution of said main shaft, stitch-number control means in connection with said cam disc so as to operate in dependence upon rotation of said disc, said stitch-number control means having a manually displaceable member on the outside of said machine housing Within reach of the operator, stop control means engageable with said drive means for placing it in and out of operation, said stop control means being connected with said manually displaceable member so as to stop said drive means when said latter member is moved to a given position beyond the positional range for stitch-number control.

18. A zigzag sewing machine, comprising a main shaft, an axially reciprocable needle bar capable of lateral oscillations for producing lateral stitches, motion-translating means between said shaft and said needle bar for imparting said oscillations to said bar, control means connected with said translating means for steplessly varying said oscillations to thereby control said lateral stitches, an automatic control device having a rotatable cam disc and having cam follower means linked with said control means for automatically operating said control means, a variable speed ratio transmission be tween said main shaft and said control device for rotating said cam disc, and selectively displaceable stitch-number control means connected with said transmission for varying said transmission ratio, and manually operative means connectible between said control means and automatic control device to couple and decouple the automatic control device from said control means during the continued operation of the machine and to manually operate the control means when the automatic control device is decoupled, said variable-ratio transmission comprising a cam rotatable in dependence upon said main 7 14 shaft, a coupling device having a progressively rotatable output member connected with said cam disc for rotating said disc and having a driver member journalled for rotary oscillation, a transmission lever having a pivot between said cam and said driver, said lever having a slotand-pin connection with said driver and a sliding engagement with said cam so as to permit displacement of said pivot for varying the transmission ratio, a rotatable member having said pivot eccentrically mounted thereon, a gear coaxially joined with said rotatable member, a stitch-number control lever actuable by the operator and having gear means meshing with said gear for shifting said pivot by displacement of said stitch-number control lever.

19. A zigzag sewing machine comprising a housing, a horizontal main shaft mounted therein, two rotary cams fixed with relation to each other and mounted for rotation about a common vertical axis by said main shaft, an axially reciprocable vertical needle bar capable of lateral oscillations for producing lateral stitches, a sleeve about the needle bar having a vertical offset pivot, a rod operatively connected to the sleeve to produce the lateral oscillations, said rod carrying a slide member pivoted thereon, a rotatable member mounted on the machine and having a slotted face, the slide member fitting in the slot thereof, means fixed on the rod in contact with one of said two cams whereby the rod is oscillated about the needle bar as pivot, manual turning and automatic turning means to turn the rotatable member to adjust the angle of the slot thereof with respect to the longitudinal axis of the rod to determine the stitching width, manually operated selector means mechanically linking at will either the manual or automatic turning means with the member having the slotted face to turn the same, the automatic means including a rotatable cam disc having a cam disc follower means, said manually operated selector means serving to disconnect the cam disc follower means from said member having the slotted face and to connect the manually movable member thereto, motion translating means actuated by the other of the said two rotary cams to rotate the said cam disc, said rotatable slotted face member having a movable axial pivot, and manually operated means accessible from outside the housing to shift said axial pivot in a direction having a component of motion longitudinal to said rod to manually select the stitching area, and cam disc follower operated means to automatically shift said axial pivot to select the stitching area.

20. A zigzag sewing machine comprising a housing, a horizontal main shaft mounted therein, two rotary cams fixed with relation to each other and mounted for rotation about a common vertical axis by said main shaft, an axially reciprocable vertical needle bar capable of lateral oscillations for producing lateral stitches, a sleeve about the needle bar having a vertical offset pivot, a rod operatively connected to the sleeve to produce the lateral oscillations, said rod carrying a slide member pivoted thereon, a rotatable member mounted on the machine and having a slotted face, the slide member fitting in the slot thereof, means fixed on the rod in contact with one of said two cams whereby the rod is oscillated about the needle bar as pivot, manual turning and automatic turning means to turn the rotatable member to adjust the angle of the slot thereof with respect to the longitudinal axis of the rod to determine the stitching width, manually operated selector means mechanically linking at will either the manual or automatic turning means with the member having the slotted face to turn the same, the automatic means including a rotatable cam disc having a cam disc follower means, said manually operated selector means serving to disconnect the cam disc follower means from said member having the slotted face and to connect the manually movable member thereto, motiontranslating means actuated by the other of the said two rotary cams to rotate the said cam disc, said rotatable c eeses slotted face member having a movable axial pivot, and manually operated means accessible from outside the housing to shift said axial pivot in a direction having a component of motion longitudinal to said rod to manually select the stitching area, means linked to the cam disc follower means operating together with means forming part of the manually operated stitching area selector to automatically shift said axial pivot to select the stitching area.

21. A zigzag sewing machine comprising a housing, a horizontal driveshaft mounted therein, two rotary cams fixed with relation to each other and mounted for rotation about a common vertical axis by said drive shaft, an axially reciprocable vertical needle bar capable of lateral oscillations for producing lateral stitches, a sleeve about the needle bar having a vertical offset pivot, a rod operatively connected to the sleeve to produce the lateral oscillations, said rod carrying a slide member pivoted thereon, a mounting plate, a rotatable member carried by the mounting plate, said rotatable member mounted on the machine and having a slotted face, the slide member fitting in the slot thereof, means fixed on the rod in contact with one of said two cams whereby the rod is oscillated about the needle bar as pivot, manual turning and automatic turning means to turn the rotatable member to adjust the angle of the slot thereof with respect to the longitudinal axis of the rod to determine the stitching width, manually operated selector means mechanically linking at will either the manual or automatic turning means with the member having the slotted'face to turn the same, the automatic means including a rotatable cam -disc having a cam disc follower means, said manually operated selector means serving to disconnect the cam disc follower means from said member having the slotted face and to connect the manually movable member to said slotted faced member, motion translating means actuated by the other of the said two rotary cams to rotate the said cam disc, said rotatable slotted face mem ber carried by the mounting plate having its axial pivot movably mounted in said mounting plate, and manually operated means to shift said axial pivot in a direction having a component of motion longitudinal to said rod to manually select the stitching area, means linked to the cam disc follower means and means forming part of the manually operated stitching area selector to automatically shift said axial pivot to select the stitching area.

22. A zigzag sewing machine comprising a housing, a horizontal main shaft'mounted therein, two rotary cams fixed with relation to each other and mounted for rotation about a common vertical axis by said main shaft, an axially reciprocable vertical needle bar capable of lateral oscillations for producing lateral stitches, a sleeve about the needle bar having a vertical offset pivot, a rod operatively connected to the sleeve to produce the lateral oscillations, said rod carrying a slide member pivoted thereon, a horizontal mounting plate removably mounted in the upper part of the housing, a rotatable member suspended from the mounting plate, said rotatable memher having a lower slotted face, the slide member fitting in the slot thereof, means fixed on the rod in contact with one of said two cams, whereby the rod is oscillated about the needle bar as pivot, manual and automatic means to turn the rotatable member to adjust the angle of the slot thereof with respect to the longitudinal axis of the rod to determine the stitching width, said automatic means being carried by the removable mounting plate and being removable therewith in the form of an assembled unit, the manual means comprising a manually movable member mounted upon the front of the housing, means including a manually operated lever pivoted on the mounting plate mechanically linking at will either the manually movable member or the automatic means with the member having the lower slotted face to turn the same, the automatic means including a rotatable cam disc having a cam disc follower means and means operatively connecting the cam follower means with the said manually movable member mounted upon the front of the housing for automatic movement thereof, said manually operated lever pivotally mounted on the machine and serving to disconnect the cam disc follower means from said member having the lower slotted face and to connect the manually movable member thereto, motion translating means actuated by the other of the said two rotary cams to rotate the said cam disc, said rotatable member suspended from the mounting plate having its axial pivot movably mounted in said mounting plate, and manually operated stitching area selector means carried by said mounting plate, and accessible from the front of the housing, to shift said axial pivot in a direction having a component of motion longitudinal to said rod, means linked to the cam disc follower means and means forming part of the manually operated stitching area selector means to automatically shift said axial pivot to select the stitching area.

23. The apparatus defined in claim 20, the said motiontranslating means actuated by the other of the said two rotary cams to rotate the cam disc being a variable-ratio transmission comprising a coupling device having a progressively rotatable output member connected with said cam disc for rotating said disc and having a driver member journalled for rotary oscillation, a transmission lever having a pivot between said cam and said driver, said lever having a slot-and-pin connection with said driver and a sliding engagement with said cam so as to permit displacement of said pivot for varying the transmission ratio, a rotatable member having said pivot eccentrically mounted thereon, a gear coaxially joined with said rotatable member, a stitch-number control lever actuable by the operator and having gear means meshing with said gear for shifting said pivot by displacement of said stitch-number control lever.

24. The apparatus defined in claim 19 in which the motion translating means includes a manually settable variable-ratio transmission accessible to the operator to set the number of stitches per revolution of the drive shaft.

25. The apparatus defined in claim 20 in which the motion translating means includes a manually settable variable-ratio transmission accessible to the operator to set the number of stitches per revolution of the drive shaft.

26. The apparatus defined in claim 21 in which the motion translating means includes a manually settable variable-ratio transmission accessible to the operator to set the number of stitches per revolution of the drive shaft.

27. A zigzag sewing machine, comprising a housing having an upwardly open arm portion, a main shaft longitudinally disposed in said arm portion, an axially reciprocable needle bar laterally oscillatable for producing lateral stitches, a sleeve about the needle bar, controllable motion-translating apparatus comprising a rotary cam turned by said shaft .and a rod and a cam follower structure having a pivot means connection thereto, and being operatively connected between said rotary cam and said sleeve for translating revolution of said shaft into lateral oscillation of said needle bar, said apparatus having an oscillation amplitude control mechanism for steplessly varying the stitching width and having an oscillation displacing mechanism for steplessly shifting the stitching area, said mechanisms being operatively connected to said pivot means to effect said varying of stitching width and said shifting of stitching area, manual control means connected with said respective mechanisms for setting said mechanisms, automatic control means having a cam disc and cam follower means connecting said cam disc with each of said mechanisms, a base structure mounted in the open top part of said arm portion of said housing above said main shaft, said apparatus including said width and. area control mechanisms being mounted on said base structure, said automatic control means including said cam disc rotating said disc, said cam drive means having a gear member rotatably joined with and located beneath said base structure, and said main shaft having gear means normally in driving engagement with but separable from said gear member, whereby said base structure and apmission between said main shaft and said cam disc, manually operable stitch-number control means connected with said transmission for varying said transmission ratio, said transmission comprising a free-wheeling coupling with said cam disc 29. A zigzag sewing machine, comprising a housing having an upwardly open arm portion, a main shaft longisaid arm portion,

ing area, manual control -means connected with said respective mechanisms for setting said mechanisms, said cam "means being located on "top of said structure and accessible through the open top of said arm portion, and means for driving the cam means correlatively with the turning of the main shaft.

30. A zigzag sewing machine comprising a housing, a horizontal main shaft mounted therein, two rotary cams connected with each other for rotation simultaneously at the same rotary speed by said main shaft, an axially reciprocable vertical needle bar capable of lateral oscillations for producing lateral stitches, a sleeve about the needle bar having a vertical offset pivot, a rod operatively connected to the sleeve to produce the lateral oscillations, said rod carrying a slide member pivoted thereon, a rotatable member mounted on the machine and having a slotted face, the slide member fitting into the slot thereof, means fixed on the rod in contact with one of said two cams whereby the rod is oscillated about the needle bar as pivot, manual turning and automatic turning means to turn the rotatable member to adjust the angle of the slot thereof with respect to the longitudinal axis of the rod to determine the stitching width, manually operated selector means mechanically linking at will either the manual or automatic turning means with the member having the slotted face to turn the same, the automatic means including a rotatable cam disc having a cam disc follower means, said manually operated selector means serving to disconnect the cam including a cam operatively condevice having a References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 652,327 Parkes June 26,- 1900 (Other references on following page) 9 20 UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 2,684,649 Scarpa July 27,1954 935,347 Hogan t. 5, 1909 2354335 B i at -v t- 5 71953 1,912,917 Prout June 6, 1933 5 V 2,087,562 Wallace July '20, 1937 FOREIGN S, 1 2,202,515 I Bolter et a1. May 28, 1940 5 871,275 France V Jan. 10,1942 2,653,557 Casas-Robert t al Sept. 29, 1953 9 0 Germany Feb. 15, 1954 

